Read again those lines, with recent images seared into our brains—“besmeared with blood” and “parents’ tears.” They give the real meaning of what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday morning. That horror cannot be blamed just on one unhinged person. It was the sacrifice we as a culture made, and continually make, to our demonic god. We guarantee that crazed man after crazed man will have a flood of killing power readily supplied him. We have to make that offering, out of devotion to our Moloch, our god. The gun is our Moloch. We sacrifice children to him daily—sometimes, as at Sandy Hook, by directly throwing them into the fire-hose of bullets from our protected private killing machines, sometimes by blighting our children’s lives by the death of a parent, a schoolmate, a teacher, a protector. Sometimes this is done by mass killings (eight this year), sometimes by private offerings to the god (thousands this year).

Read Garry Wills' entire op-ed and see what we have become as a country.

Monday, December 17, 2012

I've heard and read many words about the terrible tragedy in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, - many kind and comforting words, along with horrible and ill-conceived responses. I've hesitated to add more words, thus I've mostly posted prayers and brief tributes to those who died and prayers and sympathy for those who grieve.

Yesterday, I heard a fine sermon preached in my church. The main message I took away from the sermon is the good news of hope in the midst of tragedy nearly too awful to contemplate. Since Advent is the season of waiting in great hope for the celebration of the coming of Christ Incarnate as a helpless babe 2000 years ago, I've continued with the traditions of Advent, the season of expectancy and hope, for, at this time, I do not know what else to do. Words cannot express the depth of my sadness nor my thankfulness for my faith and the prayers and traditions of the Christian community, which anchor my soul to hope in the Good News.

Hebrews 6:19-20

We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain,
where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a
high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.

The time will come for more words and especially for deeds, but not now, not today, not for me.

A Collect for Peace

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments,
and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the
world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your
will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may
live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our
Savior. Amen.

O God, whose beloved Son took children into his arms and blessed
them: Give us grace to entrust the children and all those whose lives
were taken yesterday in Newtown to your never failing care and love, and
bring us all to your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen.

Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal
graciously with the families of Newtown in their grief. Surround them
with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have
confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Friday, December 14, 2012

"We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to
prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics," Obama
said during a brief address from the White House, where he repeatedly
wiped away tears.

"We've endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years.
Each time I learn the news, I react not as a president, but as anybody
else would, as a parent. And that is especially true today," said Obama,
the father of two daughters.

Tom and I have close friends who live in Newtown, and we've visited there several times. The small town is not a place anyone would have imagined such a tragedy happening. I talked to my friend today to express my sympathy, shock, and horror for what has happened. Such a terrible tragedy affects the entire community.

I pray for those who died that they will rest in peace and rise in glory, and I pray for all who love them, that they will somehow find comfort, consolation, and peace. I join in the prayers of many that the injured will recover and for strength for their families and friends. I pray for the people in the community of Newtown and that we, as a country, will come together, as President Obama said, beyond politics to find ways to stop this sort of tragedy from happening again, and again, and again, for we can no longer call the mass shootings isolated incidents.

Prayer for Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut

hear your diverse people
as a world unites in prayer and compassion
for the people of Newtown Connecticut.
We pray for all involved in the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Bless with your kindness those who speak to the broken-hearted.
Bless the teachers, paramedics, medical staff and police with courage, skill and wisdom.
Bless those who mourn.
Bless those who grieve
and comfort the bewildered.
Help us each to build a world safe and fit for children.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Rend the heavens and rend our hearts. Whatever it takes, we need it
now. It is unimaginable that we are still waiting for God to come and
save us from ourselves. Whatever relief there is from this horror, we
cannot seem to provide it.

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BLOGGERS' PRAYER

"Almighty God, you proclaim your truth in every age by many voices: Direct, in our time, we pray, those who speak where many listen and write what many read; that they may do their part in making the heart of this people wise, its mind sound, and its will righteous; to the honor of Jesus Christ our Lord."Book of Common Prayer

GOD'S PRESENCE

"O my God, since Thou art with me, and I must now, in obedience to Thy commands, apply my mind to these outward things, I beseech Thee to grant me the grace to continue in Thy presence; and to this end do Thou prosper me with Thy assistance, receive all my works, and possess all my affections."Brother Lawrence

LADY ENTHRONED

Luiz Coelho, Jr.

“Let those who have a voice, speak out for the voiceless.”Óscar Romero

"How can you initiate someone and then treat them like a half-assed baptized?"The Rt Rev Barbara Harris

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant."Martin Luther King

"Silence is the voice of complicity."Fr. Roy Bourgeois

"There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity...You can smell it. It smells like death."Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

THE AFTERLIFE

“So, is there an afterlife, and if so, what will it be like? I don't have a clue. But I am confident that the one who has buoyed us up in life will also buoy us up through death. We die into God. What more that means, I do not know. But that is all I need to know.” Marcus Borg - Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power

"Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì."

June Butler - email

wb73gm at gmail dot com

On occasion, Wounded Bird, indulges in irony.

"I hope that I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can."Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen